PORT JEFF, NY- Greetings. Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone let’s take a look at the outlook for the rest of the year in the NFL.
NFC
Eagles
After a middling 2-2 start to the year, the Eagles have found their groove winning seven straight and look like one of the best teams in the NFL. The addition of Saquon Barkley has gone as well as it possibly could’ve. Fresh off a 255 yard performance, Barkley leads the league in rushing and is currently the betting favorite for Offensive player of the year. The Eagles are a real threat to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Lions
At 11-1 the Lions have been the most dominant team in the NFL to this point. This team had no glaring weakness. Jared Goff has played at an elite level for more than a year. The offensive line is the best in football. The overall depth on the offensive side of the ball is unmatched. What’s been most surprising about this team is how well the defense has performed even after the injury to Aidan Hutchinson. This is the best team the Lions have ever had and it’s not a stretch to say anything short of a Super Bowl is a disappointment.
NFC West
Good luck trying to figure out this division. Each team has had their moments of brilliance while also looking dreadful many times throughout the season. The Seahawks and Cardinals currently lead the division at 6-5 with the Rams and 49ers at 5-6. The 49ers have been ravaged by injuries which has opened the door for any of these four teams to win the division. Despite their many injuries, San Francisco is just a game out of first place and if they can get healthy they should be able to win this division and be a real threat in the playoffs.
AFC
Chiefs
Despite sitting at 11-1 the Chiefs haven’t looked dominant at any point this season. Some would say the refs have gifted the Chiefs many games, though it could be argued they just put themselves in the position to win. I think it’s more likely the latter. I don’t think it matters one bit what the Chiefs do in the regular season or at this point how much they win or lose by. They simply just have to get in. Mahomes and the Chiefs are the odds on favorite to win their third straight Super Bowl, despite how badly everyone tells you they’ve played this year.
Bills
Is this finally the year the Bills breakthrough? For the second straight year, the Bills beat the Chiefs in the regular season. Josh Allen is playing as well as he ever has and Sean McDermott has the defense playing extremely well. What’s different about this team is how poised Josh Allen has played. He’s no longer making sloppy turnovers and putting his team in bad spots. If Allen continues to play an MVP level the Bills have an excellent shot at dethroning the Chiefs atop the AFC.
Ravens
The Ravens have been a very confusing team this year. Despite sitting at 8-4 and safely in the playoffs, it feels like the Ravens have slightly underachieved because they’ve lost multiple games in which they held large leads. Still, Lamar Jackson is having what might be the best year of his career and now has Derrick Henry – who hasn’t regressed one bit in his first year in Baltimore and looks as dominant as ever. If they can get out of their own way and tighten up the defense, they might be the scariest team in football.
That’s it for me. Feel free to comment below and be sure to check out Junoir Blaber tomorrow.
